Pickleball Court Dimensions and Layout Guide: Size, Spacing, and Planning
A pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, 880 square feet, for both singles and doubles, measured to the outside edges of the lines. The non-volley zone, or kitchen, runs 7 feet back from the net on each side, the net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center, and every line is 2 inches wide. The court you build is bigger than its lines. The 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook sets a minimum playing surface of 30 x 60 feet (1,800 sq ft) and recommends 34 x 64 feet (2,176 sq ft) for new construction and tournament play.
This guide gives every official measurement with its rule number, the pad and fence for one to eight courts, how many courts really fit on a tennis court, and what changes when the court is in Connecticut or Florida.
Key takeaways
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Court size (lines included) | 20 x 44 ft, 880 sq ft (6.10 x 13.41 m) |
| Kitchen (non-volley zone) | 7 ft deep x 20 ft wide, each side of the net |
| Minimum pad, one court | 30 x 60 ft, 1,800 sq ft: 5 ft beside each sideline, 8 ft behind each baseline |
| Recommended pad, new court | 34 x 64 ft, 2,176 sq ft: 7 ft beside, 10 ft behind |
| Net height | 36 in at the sidelines, 34 in at the center |
| Fence per court, one court vs four | 180 ft vs 90 ft at the minimum pad |
| Courts on a 120 x 60 ft tennis pad | 4 at the minimum, 1 at the 34 x 64 ft size |
A pickleball court is a 20 by 44 foot rectangle split by a net into two 22-foot halves, each with a 7-foot non-volley zone and two service courts 10 feet wide and 15 feet deep. The same court serves singles and doubles, and it is the same size as a doubles badminton court.
Official pickleball court dimensions (2026 rulebook)
Every number below is from Section 3 of the 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook unless it is marked as derived.
| Measurement | Imperial | Metric | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court | 20 ft wide x 44 ft long | 6.10 x 13.41 m | 3.A.1 |
| Playing area | 880 sq ft | 81.8 sq m | derived |
| Net to baseline | 22 ft | 6.71 m | derived |
| Non-volley zone, each side | 7 ft x 20 ft | 2.13 x 6.10 m | 3.A.4.c |
| Service court, each of four | 10 ft wide x 15 ft deep | 3.05 x 4.57 m | derived from 3.A.4.d and f |
| Line width | 2 in | 5.08 cm | 3.A.4.e |
| Net posts, inside face to inside face | 22 ft, plus or minus 1 in | 6.71 m | 3.B.2 |
| Net post diameter | 3 in maximum | 7.62 cm | 3.B.2 |
| Net length and depth | at least 21 ft 9 in long, 30 in deep | 6.63 m, 76.2 cm | 3.B.3 |
| Net height at the sidelines | 36 in, plus or minus 1/4 in | 91.44 cm | 3.B.6 |
| Net height at the center | 34 in, plus or minus 1/4 in | 86.36 cm | 3.B.7 |
Measure to the outside of the lines. Rule 3.A.2 says court measurements are made to the outside edge of the perimeter and non-volley zone lines, so the paint sits inside the 20 x 44 foot rectangle and a ball on the line is in. A court set out with the lines painted outside its marks comes out 20 feet 4 inches wide and 44 feet 4 inches long. Rule 3.A.4.c makes the kitchen line part of the 7-foot zone.
The posts sit outside the court. Twenty-two feet between the inside faces of the posts puts each post 1 foot outside its sideline. A center strap, if you use one, is fixed 10 feet from the outside edge of either sideline and holds the middle of the net at 34 inches.
How much space a pickleball court needs
The lines are only part of what you build. Players need room to chase a lob behind the baseline and a dink wide of the sideline, so the rulebook sets the size of the whole playing surface, and the pad, the surfacing and the fence all cover it.
| Rulebook size | Pad | Area | Beside each sideline | Behind each baseline | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum (3.A.3) | 30 x 60 ft | 1,800 sq ft | 5 ft | 8 ft | 9.14 x 18.29 m |
| New construction (3.A.3) | 34 x 64 ft | 2,176 sq ft | 7 ft | 10 ft | 10.36 x 19.5 m |
| Tournament play (3.A.3) | 34 x 64 ft | 2,176 sq ft | 7 ft | 10 ft | 10.36 x 19.5 m |
| Wheelchair play (25.A.11) | 44 x 74 ft | 3,256 sq ft | 12 ft | 15 ft | 13.41 x 22.55 m |
| Stadium court, incl. wheelchair (3.A.3, 25.A.11) | 50 x 80 ft | 4,000 sq ft | 15 ft | 18 ft | 15.24 x 24.38 m |
The pad is 2 to 2.5 times the area of the lines. A court with 880 square feet of lines needs 1,800 square feet of pad at the minimum and 2,176 at the new-construction size. That pad is what you grade, base, surface and fence, which is why a court is priced by the pad, not by the lines.
Some guides still quote 40 x 64 feet as the preferred size. That is a 10-foot margin on all four sides, a figure from earlier editions of the rules. The 2026 rulebook lists 34 x 64 feet for both new construction and tournament play, and wheelchair play needs more than either.
Which size to build: on a backyard court, 30 x 60 feet plays well for recreation and is the floor we design to. Build 34 x 64 feet if the lot allows it, because 4 extra feet of width and length is cheap at build time and impossible to add later. A club, school or town court that may host wheelchair play should be planned at 44 x 74 feet.
The pad also has to drain. An outdoor court drains in a single plane at about 1 inch of fall per 10 feet. Across a 30-foot-wide pad that is a 3-inch drop side to side; end to end on a 60-foot pad it is 6 inches. Players never notice it, and it has to be built into the grading before the base goes down. Our guide to sports court base and surface systems covers the slope spec and how to test for ponding.
Space for two, four or eight courts
Courts built side by side or back to back share a pad and a fence. The table tiles the rulebook sizes: each court keeps its own envelope, so the sidelines of neighboring courts sit 10 feet apart at the minimum and 14 feet apart at the new-construction size, and the fence runs the outside of the pad.
| Layout | Pad at the 30 x 60 ft minimum | Fence per court | Pad at the 34 x 64 ft new-construction size | Fence per court |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 court | 30 x 60 ft, 1,800 sq ft | 180 ft | 34 x 64 ft, 2,176 sq ft | 196 ft |
| 2 side by side | 60 x 60 ft, 3,600 sq ft | 120 ft (240 total) | 68 x 64 ft, 4,352 sq ft | 132 ft (264 total) |
| 3 in a row | 90 x 60 ft, 5,400 sq ft | 100 ft (300 total) | 102 x 64 ft, 6,528 sq ft | 111 ft (332 total) |
| 4 in a row | 120 x 60 ft, 7,200 sq ft | 90 ft (360 total) | 136 x 64 ft, 8,704 sq ft | 100 ft (400 total) |
| 4 in a 2 x 2 block | 60 x 120 ft, 7,200 sq ft | 90 ft (360 total) | 68 x 128 ft, 8,704 sq ft | 98 ft (392 total) |
| 8 in a 4 x 2 block | 120 x 120 ft, 14,400 sq ft | 60 ft (480 total) | 136 x 128 ft, 17,408 sq ft | 66 ft (528 total) |
Fence per court halves from one court to four: 180 feet to 90 feet at the minimum size and 196 to 98 feet at the new-construction size, while the paved area per court does not change. Courts that share a pad also share a fence: one court needs about 180 feet of fencing, four in a block about 90 feet each. That is the main reason a second court costs less than the first, and the per-court figures are in our pickleball court cost guide.
A block is also more compact to fence than a row. Four new-construction courts in a 2 x 2 block need 392 feet of fence against 400 feet in a single row, and the block fits a squarer lot.
How many pickleball courts fit on a tennis court
A tennis court’s lines are 36 x 78 feet, but the pad around them is what you convert, and pads come in three common sizes: 120 x 60 feet at the ITF tournament size, 114 x 56 feet at club size and about 110 x 50 feet for a residential court, per our guide to the tennis court footprint. The table shows the run-off each pickleball layout leaves on each pad. Compare it with USA Pickleball’s minimum of 5 feet beside each sideline and 8 feet behind each baseline.
| Layout on the tennis pad | 120 x 60 ft pad | 114 x 56 ft pad | 110 x 50 ft pad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 courts, 2 x 2, same direction as the tennis court | 5 ft beside, 8 ft behind | 4 ft, 6.5 ft | 2.5 ft, 5.5 ft |
| 4 courts across the tennis court, turned 90 degrees | 5 ft, 8 ft | 4.25 ft, 6 ft | 3.75 ft, 3 ft |
| 2 courts end to end, same direction | 20 ft, 8 ft | 18 ft, 6.5 ft | 15 ft, 5.5 ft |
| 1 court, centered | 20 ft, 38 ft | 18 ft, 35 ft | 15 ft, 33 ft |
Three things follow from the table:
- Four courts fit only on a full 120 x 60 foot pad, and even there every court gets exactly the rulebook minimum. On a club-size or residential pad, four courts are playable for recreation but below the minimum on every side.
- Only one court on a 120 x 60 foot pad can have the 34 x 64 foot new-construction envelope. Two envelopes need 68 feet of width or 128 feet of length, and the pad has 60 and 120.
- Turning the courts across the tennis court turns them east-west. If your tennis court runs north to south, the usual orientation for outdoor courts, a four-across layout makes four east-west pickleball courts. The 2 x 2 layout uses the same pad and keeps them north-south.
Shared lines are the other option if you still want tennis: pickleball lines painted over the tennis court in a contrasting color and played with portable nets. Layouts and costs for both routes are in our tennis-to-pickleball conversion guide.
Court line layout
From the net outward on each side: the non-volley zone line at 7 feet, the centerline running from that line back to the baseline and splitting the two 10 x 15 foot service courts, the baseline at 22 feet, and the two 44-foot sidelines. All lines are one color that contrasts with the surface. On a multi-sport or converted court, pickleball lines take their own color so players can tell them from tennis or basketball markings. Our sports court striping guide walks through line widths, blended lines and restriping costs, and our pickleball and basketball court combo guide shows how much extra pad a hoop adds beyond the 20 by 44 foot playing area.
Court orientation
USA Pickleball’s construction guidance says outdoor courts should run north to south, so neither player faces a rising or setting sun. Lay the court out on true north, not a compass needle: magnetic north is about 13 degrees west of true north in Connecticut and about 7 degrees west in South Florida. Our sun model for Hartford and Miami shows a north-south court has no hours of low sun in a player’s sightline, a court turned up to 20 degrees loses less than an hour a season, and an east-west court loses 542 hours of a Connecticut April to October season. The full model, and which way to turn a court on a tight lot, is in our guide to court orientation and its effect on pickleball matches.
Pickleball court size compared with other courts
| Court | Lines | Area of lines | Typical built pad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickleball | 20 x 44 ft | 880 sq ft | 1,800 to 2,176 sq ft |
| Badminton, doubles | 20 x 44 ft | 880 sq ft | indoor hall |
| Padel | 32.8 x 65.6 ft (10 x 20 m) | 2,153 sq ft | enclosed by walls |
| Tennis, doubles | 36 x 78 ft | 2,808 sq ft | 5,500 to 7,200 sq ft |
| Basketball, high school (typical) | 50 x 84 ft | 4,200 sq ft | 5,040 to 7,280 sq ft |
| Basketball, NBA, WNBA and NCAA | 50 x 94 ft | 4,700 sq ft | 5,600 to 7,980 sq ft |
A pickleball court’s lines cover less than a third of a tennis doubles court and under a fifth of an NBA court, which is why pickleball fits backyards that tennis never could. Padel needs more than twice the area and a walled enclosure; the padel court dimensions guide has its layout.
Planning a court in Connecticut
- Setbacks and coverage come before layout. Most Connecticut towns limit how close an accessory structure can sit to the property line and how much of a lot can be paved, and a 1,800 to 2,176 square foot pad plus its fence counts. Check them before you fix the court’s position; our guide to sports court permits in Connecticut covers zoning, wetlands and variances.
- Drainage decides how long the court lasts. Connecticut’s freeze-thaw cycle punishes any court that holds water, so the single-plane slope above is not optional. See tennis court drainage solutions for homeowners; the same principles apply to pickleball.
- Fencing: a 10-foot perimeter fence keeps balls in and is standard for dedicated courts. In tighter yards, 8-foot fencing on the sidelines with 10 feet behind the baselines is a common compromise. For guidance on fence and net selection, see how to choose fencing and nets for pickleball courts.
- Surface: most Connecticut pickleball courts use an acrylic hard-court system over an asphalt or concrete base. Modular tile is an alternative for faster installation and drainage through the surface.
- Limited space: if the lot cannot hold 30 x 60 feet, see how to design a pickleball court for limited space for compact layouts.
Planning a court in Florida
- Orientation costs more in Miami than in Hartford. In our sun model an east-west court in Miami has 988 hours of low sun in a player’s sightline across a year of play, against 542 in a Connecticut season, because Florida courts are played all year. Keep the court north-south on true north.
- Wind load comes with the fence. Miami-Dade and Broward counties are the Florida Building Code’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. A 10-foot fence wrapped in windscreen behaves like a wall in that wind, so posts and footings are sized for the screened fence, and courts in sight of salt water usually get vinyl-coated fencing.
- Rain shapes the schedule and the slope. Two-thirds to three-quarters of Florida’s annual rain falls from May to October (Florida Climate Center, 1991 to 2020 normals), so the dry season, November through April, is the build window, and a pad that sheds a summer downpour needs the same single-plane slope as a Connecticut court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the official dimensions of a pickleball court?
A pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long (6.10 by 13.41 meters), 880 square feet, for both singles and doubles. The measurements are taken to the outside edges of the lines, so the 2-inch lines are part of the court. The net splits it into two 22-foot halves, each with a 7-foot non-volley zone and two service courts 10 feet wide and 15 feet deep.
How much space do you need for a pickleball court?
USA Pickleball’s 2026 rulebook sets a minimum playing surface of 30 by 60 feet (1,800 square feet), which leaves 5 feet beside each sideline and 8 feet behind each baseline. It recommends 34 by 64 feet (2,176 square feet) for new construction and tournament play, which leaves 7 feet and 10 feet. Build 34 by 64 if the site allows it.
How many square feet is a pickleball court?
The lines enclose 880 square feet (20 by 44 feet). The pad you build is larger: 1,800 square feet at the 30 by 60 foot minimum and 2,176 square feet at the 34 by 64 foot new-construction size, about 2 to 2.5 times the area of the lines. Base, surfacing and fencing are all priced on the pad.
How big is the kitchen on a pickleball court?
The non-volley zone, or kitchen, is 7 feet deep and 20 feet wide on each side of the net, 140 square feet per side. It is measured from the net to the outside edge of the non-volley zone line, and the line itself is part of the kitchen.
How high is a pickleball net?
The top of the net must be 36 inches above the court where it crosses the sidelines and 34 inches at the center, each within a quarter inch. The posts stand 22 feet apart, inside face to inside face, which puts each post 1 foot outside the sideline. The net itself must be at least 21 feet 9 inches long and 30 inches deep.
Are the lines included in pickleball court dimensions?
Yes. USA Pickleball measures the court to the outside edges of the perimeter and non-volley zone lines, and every line is 2 inches wide. A ball that lands on the baseline or sideline is in. If a court is set out with the lines painted outside the 20 by 44 foot rectangle, it comes out 4 inches too wide and 4 inches too long.
How many pickleball courts fit on a tennis court?
Four, but only on a full 120 by 60 foot tennis pad, and only at USA Pickleball’s minimum: each court gets exactly 5 feet beside its sidelines and 8 feet behind its baselines. On a 114 by 56 foot club court four courts leave 4 feet and 6.5 feet, and on a 110 by 50 foot backyard court 2.5 feet and 5.5 feet, both below the minimum. Two courts end to end on a full pad give each court 20 feet beside the sidelines.
How much space do you need for two pickleball courts?
Two courts side by side need a 60 by 60 foot pad (3,600 square feet) at USA Pickleball’s minimum and 68 by 64 feet (4,352 square feet) at the new-construction size. The fence around them is 240 or 264 feet, 120 or 132 feet per court, against 180 or 196 feet for a single court.
What size is a wheelchair pickleball court?
The lines are the same 20 by 44 feet. What changes is the run-off: USA Pickleball recommends a 44 by 74 foot playing surface for wheelchair play (3,256 square feet, 12 feet beside each sideline and 15 feet behind each baseline) and 50 by 80 feet for a wheelchair stadium court.
Which way should an outdoor pickleball court face?
Run the long axis north to south on true north, not on a compass reading. In our sun model for Hartford and Miami a north-south court has no hours of low sun in a player’s sightline, and turning it up to 20 degrees costs less than an hour a season. An east-west court costs 542 hours in a Connecticut season and 988 hours in a Miami year.
Plan your pickleball court in Connecticut or Florida
Precision Sports CT designs and builds pickleball courts across Connecticut and Florida: backyard courts, club facilities and tennis-court conversions. We set out every court to the rulebook, check the setbacks and the slope before we price it, and give you an itemized written scope. We are ASBA members.
Contact us today or call (203) 415-4532 to schedule a free site evaluation.
Sources
- USA Pickleball, 2026 Official Rulebook: rules 3.A.1 to 3.A.4 (court, measurements, playing surface sizes, lines), 3.B.2 to 3.B.7 (posts, net size, net heights), 25.A.11 (wheelchair playing surface).
- USA Pickleball, Pickleball Court Construction, Lighting and Shading: north-south orientation for outdoor courts.
- UpCodes, High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, Florida Building Code.
- Florida Climate Center, 1991 to 2020 climate normals.
- Precision Sports CT: pad, fence and tennis-pad tables are our arithmetic from the rulebook sizes; tennis pad sizes from our tennis court footprint guide; sun hours from our orientation model.
Related Reading
- Tennis-to-Pickleball Court Conversion in Connecticut
- Pickleball Court Construction in Connecticut: Costs, Process, and What to Expect
- How to Design a Pickleball Court for Limited Space
- Court Orientation and Its Effect on Pickleball Matches
- Pickleball Court Colors: Best Combinations for Ball Visibility and Play
- How to Choose Fencing and Nets for Pickleball Courts
- Pickleball Court Construction Service